Untersuchungen über die toxische Wirkung der in Siedlungsabfällen häufigen Schwermetalle auf die Bodenmikroflora

The toxic effects of heavy metals, commonly found in urban wastes on the soil microflora In several series the influence of soluble salts of Cd, Cr, Zn, Cu, Ni and Hg in various concentrations was tested on the development of bacteria and fungi in cultural studies and in soil model systems. In addition the changes in microbial biomass, in the activity of oxidoreductases and hydrolases, and in nitrification were measured in five soils. Comparison of the results of bacteria-plate-counts in the presence of heavy metals in agar-media and in soils demonstrated that all tested elements have a more toxic effect on isolated soil microorganisms under culture conditions than when tested after heavy metal application to soils. Beside Hg, eucaryotic soil fungi proved to be 10 – 50 fold more resistant to heavy metals in vitro as well as in situ. For calculating the effect of heavy metals on soil microbial activity soil enzymatic methods are not reliable and can be used only to some extent, because some cellfree encymes in the soil are activated or inactivated immediately by heavy metals. In long-term experiments, the microbial biomass and nitrification in soil is not significantly influenced by the elements Cd, Cu and Ni in the concentration range of the tolerable limit content. In contrast, Cr, Zn and Hg reduced these microbiological properties more or less distinctly.